Day three of Evansville double murder trial wraps up
14 witnesses take the stand
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Day three of a double murder trial in Evansville came to a close Wednesday.
As we’ve reported, 31-year old Arthur Jones is accused of shooting to death Derek Johnson and Samantha Robbins inside a home on Lodge Avenue in 2021.
[READ ORIGINAL: Affidavit released in double murder investigation]
Day three was all about testimony, with 14 total witnesses taking the stand.
With a mix of EPD Detectives, Indiana State Police Forensic analysts and some regular folks involved in one way or another, the jury was walked through the timeline after the murders took place, including that DNA testing that occurred.
After lunch, the tenth witness took the stand.
Currently serving a sentence himself, he identified Jones before explaining he works as a confidential informant, and that he had purposely lied to Jones when they discussed their cases a few times in the past year.
He told the jury he was hoping to gain information to help testify, leading him to taking the stand on Wednesday.
In one instance, he says Jones wanted to know if two kids could testify or if they would need parents permission to do so. The witness says he lied and answered no, hoping to gain more information out of him.
Those alleged parents mentioned by Jones being the victims in this case, Derek Johnson and Samantha Robbins.
The same witness also mentioned a story Jones had supposedly told him about Johnson, Johnson had brought “50 bands,” or $50,000 with the two of them to a club, which he then used to flash at women in the club.
As the witness said it, he “stunted on him in front of those women,” making Jones mad.
The defense countered in a cross-examination, challenging his statements, implying they were brought on purely to help himself.
They even went as far as to saying quote, “what credibility do you have as a snitch?”
After that, the Forensic Pathologist who did both autopsies in this case walked the jury through those, and the day wrapped up hearing from a manager at Berry Global, the place Jones worked at when this incident occurred.
Jones watched as these testimonies continued all day, appearing to sit calmly through all of it, taking notes and periodically speaking to his attorneys.
Day four of the trial will continue tomorrow with the doors opening at 8 A.M.
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